Dundalk striker Maguire to miss Shamrock Rovers game after Ireland U-21 call-up

Maguire after signing for Dundalk at the end of July

Dundalk striker Sean Maguire is set to miss the club’s crunch clash away to Shamrock Rovers on Friday October 9^th after being named in Noel King’s Irish U-21 squad today.

The former West Ham star, who bagged his first goal for the club against Sligo Rovers earlier this month, was named in the provisional 22 man squad for the U-21 UEFA Euro 2017 qualifier at home to Lithuania and away to Italy next month.

After two matches Ireland are joint top of Group 2 following back-to-back wins over Andorra and will host Lithuania in the RSC in Waterford on the same day as the Rovers game in Tallaght, albeit at the earlier time of 5.45pm.

The squad will then travel to Vicenza to take on Italy on Tuesday October 13^th which means Maguire should be back at Oriel Park for Dundalk’s clash with Galway Utd three days later.

Bubble blowing event in Ice House Hill Park this Sunday

A picture from a previous event

Dundalk’s Lithuanian community are to host a bubble blowing event this Sunday in Ice House Hill Park.

Burbuliatorius is a regular urban event which takes place every second Monday during summer time in more than 15 cities worldwide.

Events have been run local in Dundalk on the last Sunday of each month through May, June, July and August with Sunday’s event the last of the year.

All are invited to take part on the day, with the event getting underway at 4pm.

Dundalk supporter Danny denied entry to Belarus for Champions League clash

Danny O’Connell

A Dundalk FC supporter has earned the sympathy of fans all across Ireland after becoming stranded in Lithuania in his attempt to follow his beloved Lilywhites in their Champions League clash with BATE Borisov in Belarus tonight.

Danny O’Connell had been attempting to gain access to the Eastern European country ahead of Dundalk’s game in Barysaw yesterday when he was stopped at passport control. It is reported that customs officials deemed his passport unacceptable and subsequently tore a page out of it. That left him unable to travel and, as there is no Irish embassy in Belarus, he was forced to go to neighbouring Lithuania.

It appeared that Danny would be stranded there but the intervention of Dundalk fans Orla Taaffe and Margaret Curtis – who got former Minister for Foreign Affairs and fellow Lilywhites fan Dermot Ahern involved – ensured that Danny at least got a hotel for the night in Lithuania last night.

It is understood he will not be able to attend tonight’s match but should be able to get back to Ireland on a flight tomorrow.

Commenting on the matter via his Twitter page, Danny described the incident as an “absolute nightmare”, adding that he’d never been so let down before.

He added: “The frustrating thing is the exact same passport was good enough for the Belarus embassy in London to charge me 100 euro for the visa.”

In another post he said: “Worst trip and easily the worst experiences of my life. I just want to get home and see my family/friends.”

On a brighter note for the rest of the Dundalk travelling support, they found a bar in Minsk serving Harp Lager. Tonight’s game has a kick-off time of 6.30pm.

Sudden passing of popular local bus driver

Valdas Vyte RIP

The death took place suddenly on Friday of local bus driver Valdas Vyte of Slieve Roe Crescent and late of Castletown Road, Dundalk.

The Lithuanian native was well known to many commuters from the town having driven a Matthews Coach Hire bus from Dundalk to Dublin daily.

Ever popular with both passengers and colleagues, one of his co-workers described his sudden passing in the Mater Hospital as “very sad” and said everyone at Matthews Coach Hire was in shock.

Valdas is survived by his wife Daiva, family and friends and colleagues at Matthews Coaches.

His removal takes place from Dixon’s Funeral Home in Bridge Street on Monday afternoon at 12.45pm to St Nicholas’ Church, arriving for funeral Mass at 1pm.

Campbell to face retrial in Lithuania

Michael Campbell

Lithuania’s Supreme Court has ordered the retrial of Michael Campbell, who was acquitted of plotting to smuggle arms from the Baltic state to the Real IRA.

Campbell was initially sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2011 for aiding a terrorist group and illegal possession of arms.

But an appeals court struck down the sentence in October last year, saying it could not rule out Campbell’s claim that he was framed by British intelligence.

In the latest twist in the long-running case, a seven-judge panel that the appeals court gave a “contradictory” assessment of intelligence witnesses.

“The panel decided to annul the verdict of 2 October, 2013, and refer the case to an appeals court,” judge Gintaras Goda said, reading the verdict.

Campbell, 41, lives in Faughart and did not travel to Vilnius for the verdict.

His lawyers and prosecutor did not appear either, and they could not be immediately reached for a comment.

“The court of appeals groundlessly downgraded part of evidence and by giving priority to testimony of the acquitted person,” prosecutor Gedgaudas Norkunas told the court in a hearing last month.

Campbell’s lawyer Ingrida Botyriene rejected the prosecutor’s arguments, telling the court that “provoked activity cannot be recognised as criminal”.

Campbell went on trial in August 2009 after having been arrested in a January 2008 sting in Vilnius, where he met a Lithuanian agent posing as an arms dealer.

He denied being a member of the Real IRA.

Campbell’s brother Liam was one of four Real IRA leaders found liable by a civil court for a 1998 bombing in Omagh, Northern Ireland that killed 29 people.

Dundalk to find out Europa League opponents later today

Dundalk will find out who they have been paired with in European competition later today when the draw for the first two qualifying rounds of the Europa League takes place at UEFA headquarters in Nyon in Switzerland.

The draw for the first qualifying round is due to take place at 12 noon, with potential second round opposition revealed at 1.30pm.

The draw will be streamed live on uefa.com

The first qualifying round matches are scheduled to take place on Thursday July 3^rd and Thursday July 10^th.

Possible opponents for Dundalk are Aberdeen of Scotland, Jeunesse Esch of Luxembourg, Tromso of Norway, Ekranas of Lithuania, My-Pa 47 of Finland and Bangor City of Wales.

There is the possibility of fixture reversals following the draw so supporters have been advised not to book flights or accommodation until after the fixtures are officially confirmed by UEFA later today.

Tickets for the games will go on general sale from Oriel Park on Monday. Due to UEFA insisting that the home leg be all-seated, tickets will be limited and be on restricted sale.

Local man acquitted of arms smuggling facing possible retrial

Michael Campbell

Lithuanian prosecutors have appealed the acquittal of a Dundalk man charged with plotting to smuggle arms to the Real IRA.

41-year-old Michael Campbell was arrested in 2008 in Vilnius and sentenced to 12 years in 2011 for attempted smuggling.

However, he successfully appealed his conviction last October, after arguing there was no evidence to support the testimony of a leading prosecution witness.

Prosecutors now say they want a retrial and will be fighting for it in the coming weeks.

Michael Campbell released by Lithuanian appeals court

Michael Campbell

An appeal court has released a local man who was imprisoned in Lithuania after being convicted of trying to buy weapons for the Real IRA.

Michael Campbell, from Upper Faughart, was arrested in 2008 as part of a string operation as he tried to purchase guns and explosives.

He was sentenced to 12 years in 2011 but that conviction has now been overturned and he has been released with immediate effect.

At the time of his conviction in October 2011, Campbell claimed he was set up.

TDs Maureen O’Sullivan, Clare Daly, Martin Ferris and Eamon Ó Cuiv, who visited Mr Campbell in jail, said they were satisfied with the decision having admitted to having “serious concerns over his conviction.”

They also insisted that he had spent “over five years in poor, overcrowded and inhumane conditions.”